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October 21, 2015 C-1981-018/Deserado Mine CCW <br />Drainage Control; Surface Stabilization; Placement: <br />RP -1 is the only reclaimed coal mine waste bank currently at the Deserado Mine. The perimeter <br />ditch, slopes, and top of RP -1 were inspected for erosion control. The waste bank did not have any rills or gullies. <br />The vegetation has stabilized the soil and the runoff from the pile is contained in the perimeter ditch and routed to <br />the RP -1 Pond. The perimeter ditch was well vegetated and stable (Photo 3). RP -1 has been seeded with bunch <br />grasses and Forage kochia Photo 4). The Forage kochia has grown in greater numbers on the northern facing <br />slopes and on the top of RP -1. The bunch grasses have grown on all areas of the reclaimed waste bank. Tumble <br />mustard was present on RP -1, but found to be extremely sparse on the entire waste bank. Four Wing salt brush <br />was found on the south facing slope and in small numbers. The associated pond for RP -1 is the RP -1 Pond. The <br />embankments of the pond were well vegetated and stable. The pond was not impounding any water at the time of <br />the inspection (Photo 5). <br />RECLAMATION SUCCESS - Rule 4.15, Rule 3: <br />See Previous section, Processing Waste/Coal Mine Waste Piles for information on the Reclamation <br />Success of RP -1. <br />REVEGETATION — Rule 4.15 <br />Vegetative Cover; Timing: <br />All three of the vegetation reference areas were inspected with the following: 1) representative of the plant <br />community that was disturbed, 2) representative of the ecological site conditions, 3) sufficient in size to allow for <br />valid comparison with reclaimed areas, 4) and managed in a manner consistent with the post mining land use. <br />The sagebrush/Western Wheatgrass reference area is approximately 2 to 3 acres in size. The reference area <br />included sagebrush, Western Wheatgrass and Cheatgrass (Photo 6). The sagebrush community in the reference <br />area is the dominant vegetation type. There is a barbed wire fence around the reference area. The fence is being <br />considered to be pulled to allow the post mining land use conditions of grazing. Currently there is a minimal <br />amount of grazing occurring in the reference area by wildlife that can get through or over the fence. The reference <br />are is representative of many areas of the mine that are still to be reclaimed. An example would be areas along the <br />haul road and conveyor. <br />The Black Greasewood reference area is currently dominated by sagebrush. There is a good sized community of <br />Black greasewood plants in the reference area, although heavy grazing from wildlife on these species has made <br />them less noticeable (Photo 2). There are also Junipers in the reference area (Photo 7). The Black greasewood <br />reference area is representative of areas to be reclaimed at the mine. There are a few of these areas throughout the <br />mine such as the mine portals and facilities area. Areas disturbed in Scullion Gulch and Red Wash generally make <br />up the areas with the Black greasewood vegetation type. <br />The Colorado Wildrye reference area has a steep slope with large rock fragments (Photo 8). There vegetation in <br />this area is more sparse when compared to the other reference areas, this is normal for the reference area. Grazing <br />by rabbits has occurred on the reference area. This reference area is representative of the steeper slopes at the <br />mine that are to be reclaimed, an example would be above the mine portals and facilities area. <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 2 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 1 <br />Page 3 of 9 <br />